1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flush control mechanism for a toilet tank, and more specifically to a flush control mechanism which can operate to move the stopper from blocking relationship with the drainage opening in the bottom of the toilet tank and to control the supply of fresh water to the toilet tank by way of the pivotal movement of a control element located inside the toilet tank.
2. The Prior Art
Many different types of flush control mechanisms have been invented which can be used in toilet tanks to open and close the drainage opening in the bottom of the tank and thereby control the flow of flush water to the toilet bowl therebelow, as well as to control the supply of fresh water to the toilet tank from the main water supply pipe which connects therewith. Some types of flush control mechanisms are more complicated and expensive than others, although not necessarily more durable or reliable.
One type of flush control mechanism makes use of a control valve element which is in the form of a container that is divided into chambers and is pivotable about a generally horizontal axis inside the toilet tank, the pivoting of the container about the generally horizontal axis being based on the relative amounts of water in the various chambers. Depending on the orientation of the container about the horizontal axis, the drainage opening at the bottom of the toilet tank will be either opened or closed and a main water inlet valve connected to the main water supply pipe either opened or closed.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,475,841 shows a flush control mechanism for a toilet tank which includes a rectangular boy that is divided by a low transverse partition into a left side water inlet chamber and a right side water outlet chamber, the rectangular box being pivotable about a horizontal axis which is located below the center of gravity of the box and closer to its left end than its right end. The right end of the box includes a drain hole which is coincident with a frame extending above the drainage opening of the toilet tank, together with an internal ball valve for opening and closing the drainage hole. A link connects the left side of the box to a valve attached to the main water supply pipe to supply water to the left side water inlet chamber of the box when appropriate. Assuming that the box contains the necessary amount of water and is in its inactive position, i.e., horizontally disposed within the toilet tank, the flush control mechanism is operated as follows: a handle lever on the front of the toilet tank is raised, thus releasing the box so as to allow it to pivot about the horizontal axis in a clockwise fashion. The frame above the tank drainage opening will raise the ball of the ball valve in the right side water chamber of the box to thereby allow water to drain through the drain hole therein and then through the tank drainage opening to pass downwardly to the toilet bowl therebelow. Once a sufficient amount of water has drained out of the right side water outlet chamber, the weight of water remaining in the left side water inlet chamber will cause the box to pivot back about the horizontal axis in a counterclockwise fashion, such that its left side end hits the toilet tank floor. At this point the main water inlet valve on the main water supply pipe is opened so as to supply fresh water to the left side water chamber of the box. Once the box has been filled with the needed amount of water, it will pivot again in a clockwise fashion about the horizontal axis to its inactive, horizontal position, the handle lever preventing any further pivoting of the box. At the same time, the main water inlet valve will be concurrently caused to close.
A different construction of flush control mechanism is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,003,156. This flush control mechanism includes a container that is divided by walls into a left side water chamber and a right side water chamber, the container being pivotable about a horizontal axis located at its left end. The left side water chamber includes a relatively small drainage orifice. When in its rest position the container will be submerged in the water contained in the toilet tank and thus filled with water, as well as in blocking position with respect to the drainage opening in the floor of the tank. When pivoted in counterclockwise fashion about the horizontal axis by operation of the crank on the front of the tank, the water in the toilet tank will drain through the tank drainage opening. As the tank water level lowers, the water in the left side water chamber of the container will drain out through the drain orifice until the weight of water remaining in the right side water chamber is sufficient to pivot the container back to its inactive, starting position. A valve and float assembly operates to control the supply of fresh refill water to the tank.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a flush control mechanism for a toilet tank which is reliable, inexpensive and easy to install, and which can be conveniently adjusted so as to control the amount of water which will be drained from the tank to the bowl therebelow and the time needed to refill the tank with fresh water.